Fire extinguisher for oil and gas wells



Aug. 30 1927. 1,640,838

, LA; KLIEWER I FIRE EXTINGUISHER' FOR OIL AND GAS WELLS Fi lpd Jan. 17. 1921 v 1,640,838 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. KLIEWER, OF OLDEN, TEXAS.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOIR, OIL AND GAS WELLS.

Application filed January 17, 1921. Serial No. 437,907.

This invention relates to an improved fire extinguisher for oil and gas wells and one object of the invention is to provide an extinguisher in the form of a'nozzle which will be connected with the upper end of the well casing or tube and will be provided intermediate its length with means for admitting live steam or other non-combustible fluid to v the interior of the nozzle, the fluid entering from opposite side portions of the nozzle and extending across the nozzle in flat jets which will extend in crossed relation one above the other, thus providing very effective means for cutting off the flow of gas or oil and causing the oil or gas at the upper end or mouth of the nozzle to be extinguished when burning.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the nozzle that it may be formed in a single casting and thus be very cheaply produced and further to so construct it that it may be readily connected with the upper end of a well casing or tube.

' Another object of the invention is to so construction this nozzle that the jets of steam may enter the nozzle from opposite sides and. in superposed and spaced relation and thus provide a very thick steam blanket which will serve to quickly extinguish aburning well.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view showing the improved fire-extinguisher in side elevation.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the nozzle. 7

Figure 3 is a transverse sectlonal view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

This improved fire extinguishing nozzle is intended for connection with the upper end of the well casing 1 and this nozzle which is indicated in general by the numeral 2 will be preferably connected with the easing l by means of a couplin sleeve or collar 3 which is internally threa ed and engages the threaded end portions of the casing 1 and nozzle so that the nozzle may be held in close contact with the casing as shown' in Fig. 2. The upper or outer end of this nozzle may be internally threaded as shown at 4 so that a suitable plug may be screwed into the nozzle to close the same when desired. At-a point intermediate its length, the nozzle is thickened to provide an outstanding collar 5 which may be termed an annular shoulder or rib if so desired. This collar is provided upon opposite sides of the nozzle with longitudinally extending pockets 6 and 7., each of which is provided with an inlet port 8 which is threaded so that a steam pipe 9 may be connected with the nozzle as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

Each of the pockets is provided with an outlet mouth 1Q in the form of a groove which is cut from the inner face of the nozzle wall and extends about the nozzle upon opposite sides of the pocket for a portion of and approximately one-half the circumference of the nozzle. It will thusbe seen that when the steam from the pipes 9 enters the pockets 6 and 7 ,*the steam will pass through these pockets and will then enter the outlet fimouths or arcuate grooves 10 from which the steam will pass in the form of flat streams which will extend across the nozzle. From an inspection of Fig. 2, it

-will be seen that the groove 10 communispaced relation and the passage of these streams of steam in spaced relation will create a relatively thick steam blanket which will serve very effectively to extinguish the oil or gas which is burning at the mouth.

of the nozzle. Under ordinary circumstances, steam will not be allowed to pass through the pipes 9. and the oil or as can pass freely from the well casing 1 t rough the nozzle 2. If, however, the oil Ior gas should become i nited at the up er or outer end of the nozzle, the steam wi 1 be turned on and will flow through the pipes and into the nozzle through the pockets and grooves to extinguish the flame. It will thus be seen that with this attachment, ordinary operation of the well is not interfered with but at the same time a burning well can be easily and quickly extinguished without it being necessary for an operator togo close to the well.

I claim: 1. A fire extinguishing attachment for oil and gas wells comprising a nozzle adapted for connection with the upper end of a well casing, the Walls of the nozzle being thickened at a point intermediate its length to provide a collar, the collar being provided outer face of the collar, one pocket having its upper end communicating with an annular groove formed in the inner face of the nozzle and the second pocket having its lower end communicating with an annular groove formed 1n the inner face of the nozzle.

2. A fire extinguishing. attachment for oil and gas wells comprising a nozzle adapted for connection with the upper end of a well casing, the nozzle having the inner faces of its walls provided with arcuate groovesextending transversely of the nozzle upon opposite sides thereof and positioned one in a plane above the other, necks extending from said grooves, and ports leading from the necks outwardly through said nozzle.

3. A fire extinguishing attachment for gas and oil wells comprising a nozzle for connection with the upper end ofa well casing, said nozzle-having opposite sideportions of its walls provided with pockets and each pocket provided With an inlet port extending through the outer face of the nozzle and an outlet in the form of a groove extending from the inner face of the nozzle, each groove extending partially about the circumference of the nozzle and one groove being positioned in a plane beneath the second.

4. A fire extinguishing attachment for gas and oil Wells comprising a nozzle for connection with the upper end of a well casing, said nozzle having opposite side portions of its walls provided with pockets and each pocket provided with an inlet port leading through the outer face of the nozzle and an outlet leading from the inner face of the nozzle, the outlet of one pocket being in a plane beneath the plane of the second.

5. A fire extinguishing attachment for gas and oil wells comprising a nozzle for connection with the upper end of a well casing, said nozzle being provided intermediate its length with means for admitting live steam into the nozzle from opposite sides and in planes one above the other. i

6. A fire extinguisher comprising apassage member provided with means for coupling it to an oil well casing, said passage member being provided with means for admitting live steam from opposite sides and in spaced planes.

7. A fire extinguisher comprising a vertically elongatedv passage member having means at its lower end for coupling it to the upper end of an oil well casing, said passage member having an upper port extending substantially throughout one-half of its circumference and a lower port extending throughout substantially the other half of its circumference, and' means for supplying steam to said ports to direct blankets of steam across said passage member in spaced planes.

8. A fire extinguisher for oil well casings, comprising a tubular member of substantially the same internal diameter as a well casing, said member having slots in its side wall disposed in a plurality of spaced transverse planes, said slots occupying different segmental portions of the circumference of the passage through said. member and joint- 1y extending substantially throughout said circumference, and means for conducting a non-combustible fiuid to said slots for discharge therethrough into the passage.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWARD A. vKLIEWER. 

